Strawberry plant named ‘Driscoll Venice’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Driscoll Venice’. The variety is similar to the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. The variety is distinguished from ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’, in particular, the plant is medium dense, shape of terminal leaflet is obtuse, petiole pubescence is dense, predominant fruit shape is cordate, insertion of achenes is level with surface, and fruit acidity is weak.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The variety is botanically identified as Fragraria×ananassa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between the strawberry plants ‘Ana Maria’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,035) and ‘Balboa’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,130) in an ongoing breeding program, and was discovered as a seedling in a controlled breeding plot in Ventura County, Calif. in February, 1996. The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated by stolons in McArthur, Shasta County, Calif. propagules were transplanted to a controlled breeding plot in Ventura County, Calif. where the variety was identified and selected for further evaluation. ‘Driscoll Venice’ was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing in Ventura County, Calif. for six years. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Driscoll Venice’. The variety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished from other varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables 1-4.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

The varieties which we believe to be similar to ‘Driscoll Venice’ from those known to us are ‘Coronado’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,221) and ‘San Miguel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,642). There are several characteristics of the new variety that are different from, or not possessed by ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. The new variety is medium dense, shape of terminal leaflet is obtuse, petiole pubescence is dense, predominant fruit shape is cordate, insertion of achenes is level with surface, and fruit acidity is weak.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety, including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in color illustrations of these characteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the leaves of the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the upper side and the under side of the flowers.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the fruit.

FIG. 4 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based upon observations taken of plants and fruit grown in Ventura County, Calif., U.S.A. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Observations of ‘Driscoll Venice’, ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’ were taken in side by side comparison in the year 2001. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors are described and the most similar color designations are provided from The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart.

PROPAGATION

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Although propagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods of propagating strawberry plants may be employed.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4. In the tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except where indicated. The petal color of ‘Driscoll Venice’ is white (155C in The R.H.S. Colour Chart). The fruit described is the secondary fruit on one-year-old plants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary and secondary fruit and flowers. The average stolon diameter at bract subtending the daughter plant is 2.88 mm. The number of propagules/nursery plant in 2002 was 71. The anthocyanin coloration of the stipules in the Fall of the year in nursery is light pink 43D (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart). The petiolule length is 5.32 mm and the petiolule color is 149A (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart). The leaf texture is blistered, the leaf margin is crenate, the leaf vein color is 149A (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the leaf venation is pinate. The petal shape is ovate to rounded, the petal margin is entire, the petal number is 6, and the petal color of the upper and lower surface is white 155C (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart). The sepal color is 147A (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart) on the upper surface and 147C (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart) on the lower surface, the average sepal number is 11.33, average sepal length is 15.64 mm, and average sepal width is 8.51 mm. The average weight of achenes is 0.00055 g and the average number of achenes/berry is 278.3. The anthocyanin color of stolon is purple red 59D (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart). The color of anthers is yellow 13A (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart) and the color of pistils and receptical is yellow 7A (in The R.H.S. Colour Chart).

Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety ‘Driscoll Venice’ compared with characteristics of ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. Table 2 provides additional information of the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety ‘Driscoll Venice’ compared with characteristics of the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety to stresses, pests and diseases compared with reactions of the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. Table 4 provides isozyme characteristics of the new variety as compared to that of the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’.

TABLE 1 DETAILED COMPARISON OF ‘DRISCOLL VENICE’, ‘CORONADO’ AND ‘SAN MIGUEL’ ‘Driscoll Venice’ ‘Coronado’ ‘San Miguel’ Plant Characteristics Height of Plant (cm) 19.5 20.7 22.8 Spread of Plant (cm) 26.0 28.7 29.4 Number of Crowns 3.4 4.6 4.4 Leaf Characteristics Terminal Leaflet Length (cm) 5.6 6.1 6.2 Terminal Leaflet Width (cm) 6.2 6.3 5.8 Terminal Leaflet Length/Width 0.91 0.97 1.07 # Teeth/Terminal Leaflet 22.7 21.6 20.7 Color of upper side dark green light to medium to 147A medium dark green green 147A 137A Color of under side light to light to light to medium medium medium green green green 139C 137B 138B Petiole Length (cm) 14.9 16.3 16.0 Petiole Color 149A 149A 149A Bract Frequency 0% 0% 25% typically paired Stipule Length (cm) 2.9 3.4 2.9 Stipule Width (cm) 1.0 1.2 1.1 Flower Characteristics Petal Length (cm) 1.7 1.6 1.4 Petal Width (cm) 1.6 1.7 1.5 Petal Length/Width Ratio 1.06 0.93 0.98 Flower Diameter (cm) 3.2 3.4 2.7 Calyx Diameter (cm) 4.4 4.4 4.1 Fruiting Truss Length (cm) 21.8 22.1 25.7 Fruit Characteristics Fruit Length (cm) 4.2 4.3 4.3 Fruit Width (cm) 4.1 3.9 4.1 Fruit Length/Width Ratio 1.04 1.11 1.07 Average Berry Weight (g) 27.0 23.6 23.2 External Color 45A 46A 53A Internal Color orange red red dark red and white 41A 45A (34A and 155C) Average % brix 8.1 7.1 7.1 Brix/Acid Ratio 10.75 9.11 9.33 Achene Coloration 60A to 15B 53A to 53A to 14B 151B Yield (g/plant) 695 598 557

TABLE 2 CHARACTERISTICS OF ‘DRISCOLL VENICE’, ‘CORONADO’ AND ‘SAN MIGUEL’ ‘Driscoll Venice’ ‘Coronado’ ‘San Miguel’ Plant Habit globose globose flat globose Density dense open open Vigor medium medium medium Leaf Shape in cross slightly concave slightly concave concave section Interveinal strong strong strong blistering Glossiness strong strong strong Number of more than three more than three three only leaflets on at least 5 out on up to 5 out of of 10 leaves 10 leaves Terminal leaflet flat flat to cupped flat to revolute margin profile Terminal leaflet rounded obtuse rounded shape of base Terminal leaflet obtuse rounded rounded shape of teeth Stipule sparse to sparse sparse pubescence medium Petiole dense medium sparse to pubescence medium Petiole pose of outward to outward outward hairs downward Stolon Amount many medium to many many Anthocyanin medium weak to medium weak to coloration medium Thickness medium medium thin to medium Pubescence medium to dense sparse to medium sparse to medium Inflorescence Position relative level to above level to above above to foliage Diameter of calyx larger larger larger relative to corolla on secondary flowers Diameter of inner smaller same size to same size calyx relative to larger outer on secondary flowers Spacing of petals touching to touching to overlapping overlapping overlapping Fruiting Truss Attitude at first prostrate semi-erect to prostrate picking prostrate Fruit Predominant cordate conical to wedged conical to shape cylindrical Difference in slight moderate moderate shapes between primary and secondary fruits Band without very narrow narrow very narrow achenes Unevenness of weak weak to medium weak to surface medium Evenness of color slightly uneven even even uneven to even Glossiness medium to medium to strong medium strong Insertion of level with the below surface below surface achenes surface Insertion of calyx level to set above level to set above set above Pose of the calyx reflexed spreading spreading to segments reflexed Size of calyx in same size to larger same size relation to fruit on larger secondary fruit Adherence of strong medium strong calyx Firmness of flesh medium firm firm Evenness of flesh uneven slightly uneven even color Distribution of only marginal marginal and marginal and flesh color central central Hollow center small to medium medium medium size Sweetness strong weak strong Texture when fine fine fine tasted Acidity weak strong medium Time of early-January early-January early-January Flowering Harvest Interval early-February to early-February to early-February in 2001 mid-June mid-June to mid-June Type of Bearing partially partially partially everbearing everbearing everbearing

REACTION TO STRESS, PESTS AND DISEASE FOR ‘DRISCOLL VENICE’, ‘CORONADO’ AND ‘SAN MIGUEL’

TABLE 3 ‘Driscoll Venice’ ‘Coronado’ ‘San Miguel’ Reaction to Stress high pH moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant high soil salt levels moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Reaction to Pests Tetranychus urticae moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Lygus hesperus susceptible susceptible susceptible Reaction To Diseases Botrytis fruit rot moderately moderately moderately susceptible susceptible susceptible Powdery mildew moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Verticillium wilt susceptible susceptible susceptible Strawberry Mottle Virus moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Xanthomonas fragariae moderately moderately moderately susceptible susceptible susceptible

ISOZYME ANALYSIS

In Addition to the Morphological Description Above, the New Cultivar ‘Driscoll Venice’ has been analyzed to obtain an indication of its genetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new variety and distinguishing it from other somewhat similar and/or related strawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of ‘Driscoll Venice’, ‘Coronado’, and ‘San Miguel’ were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozyme patterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (“PGI”), leucine aminopeptidase (“LAP”) and phosphoglucomutase (“PGM”). See J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varieties is presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the banding patterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.

TABLE 4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR ‘DRISCOLL VENICE’, ‘CORONADO’ AND ‘SAN MIGUEL’ ‘Driscoll Locus Venice’ ‘Coronado’ ‘San Miguel’ PGI A4 A2 A4 LAP B3 B3 B3 PGM C2 C4 C2 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially as shown and described. 